A Different Reason
by Sadistic Memory
Summary: ON HIATUS: Kagome didn't journey to the past alone, she was joined by Souta. Trying to leave their tragic past behind and begin anew, their dreams of happiness are destroyed when Kikyo appears. She wants revenge, at any price.
1. Chapter One: Into the Well

_Replaced_

**A Different Reason**

**Chapter One: Into the Well**

My name is Kagome Higurashi. I no longer live in my own time. I do not know if there is a time to return to, even if that were possible. I am to live the rest of my life out, under the mastery of the hanyou Inuyasha, whom all my troubles were centered on. The whole reason of my transformation, relocation, everything.

All will be explained to you. Here is an impartial account that I have put together, with many of the people that have been involved. Sadly, my brother is no longer with us, and as you may have guessed, the hanyou isn't part of this. Only to hope that he won't interrupt as I record this, but I suppose that, too, is inevitable.

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Kagome Higurashi was a normal teenager, with a normal life. She had her friends and her few enemies. She lived in the Higurashi Shrine with her mother, grandfather, and brother. Her father had disappeared, willingly or otherwise, about 6 years ago, when Souta was 3. Her mother had to support the whole family with her job. While the grandfather did take charge of the shop, that didn't provide a steady income.

"It's Saturday! Kagome, wake up!" Souta jumped into her room and danced around wildly. Kagome threw a pillow at him and looked up inquiringly, sleep still controlling her lids.

"Souta...what's so special about this Saturday?" she moaned, looking at the clock which read 7:04.

"Sis, don't tell me you forgot! We have the house to ourselves today!" he yelled, jumping around. It was to his own benefit, Kagome wasn't looking.

"Oh yeah...mom and grandpa went shopping, didn't they?" She yawned, snuggling back into her warm covers.

"Nope, not yet actually, it's too early for that. They will in two hours!" holding his fingers up in a peace sign for emphasis, he waved them in her face. She considered making a comment about how she could count, but decided to refrain from ruining his excitement.

"I guess you should be excited, it's the first time they've let us stay home alone since..." she didn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to. Since their father had left, it was rare that Mrs. Higurashi or their grandfather left them alone in the house. Whether it was because they didn't trust them to be responsible enough to stay, or if it was to protect them, they had always switched supervising. The children had never complained.

Souta's face fell and he agreed quietly.

"Was...dad really...that bad?" he asked.

Kagome sighed and sat up, blinking rapidly.

"No need to dwell in the past, Souta! It's a pretty day, let's go outside!" she exclaimed cheerily. He didn't know the details, he didn't have to. She herself didn't recall much.

"Bye mom!" they waved at her as she got ready to leave.

"And what about me, huh?" growled their grandfather.

"Bye!" they yelled, a huge hint present in their voices.

"Harumph!" he replied with an amused look. They were quite affectionate sometimes, but this time just wasn't one of them. He waved back, stumbled, and hurried after their mom.

"Okay Souta, we've got the house to ourselves. What would you like to do?" Kagome asked sweetly, thinking of pigging out on junk food, just lazing around, and many other useless things like that.

"Awww...we're not going shopping, are we?" he whined back.

"Not unless you want to!" she replied merrily, giving mental 'darn' inside.

"Let's...go to the well house!" he suggested. They were not allowed to go there, for reasons that had been explained and had not been explained.

Kagome hesitated. She didn't have the urge to go, but knew that someday she would. Why not now?

"Sure, but we have to come right back!" she agreed.

They gingerly made their way to the shrine, looking around furtively. Who knew who might be watching? Kagome carefully slid open the door and they poked their heads in. Souta snuck in, getting into the mood, while Kagome boldly strolled in.

They looked around. It was pretty neat, but boring (with the exception of the covered well in the middle). It had been used as storage, with empty jars and pots sitting in corners.

"Let's go back." She suggested.

They turned around and started out, when Souta accidentally knocked over two jars. One landed on the outside, but the other went down the well. Neither broke, but the crash was loud and startling.

"Souta, now look what you did! Now I have to climb down that creepy well to get it! Hand me that ladder over there, and the flashlight, please." She muttered in the end.

Souta did as she asked, and Kagome climbed down quickly.

"I got it!" she said as she threw it up to him. Souta struggled to catch it, and almost overbalanced. He replaced it, and began to leave.

"Wait! Come here, I just found this room thing!" she called back. Sweat formed on the back of Souta's neck as he crept down to join his sister. The room was packed dirt with a bit of the intricate stone and wood that made up the rest of the well. It was empty, for the half rotten bucket in the side. There were some built in shelves that looked stable still.

They explored the tiny space until Souta's watch beeped, signaling that there was half-an-hour until their mom would be back. They cleaned up, and sealed the door again.

"Our secret, Kagome?" Souta asked unnecessarily.

She nodded with a wide grin. This was the most exciting thing that had happened for a while. Life was normal, with its ups and downs, occasional fights and misunderstandings. Not every child got to find a secret room, although many had probably gone where they were forbidden.

But if something is forbidden, it's probably for a reason. That night, when the sun had just gone past the horizon, a faint yellow mist, transparent yet solid, slid out of the slats on the door. The seals had been carefully replaced, but they held power, unlike what the children believed. They needed to be placed in the right position, spot, and prayed over with an exact prayer.

None of which had been done.

The yellow mist formed a hand like appendage, and it beckoned behind it. The cloud grew in size and disappeared into the ground.

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	2. Chapter Two: Shikon no Tama

_Replaced

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**A Different Reason**

**Chapter Two: Shikon no Tama**

Dropping the ugly yellow backpack she used only for large amounts of homework on her bed, she flopped into her chair and reviewed all of her assignments. Teachers should know that teenagers didn't need great quantities of busywork to occupy their minds over the weekends.

"Excuse me! I do have a life." She muttered as she started on her math. She was soon immersed in x's and y's and squares.

Souta popped his head in.

"Hey Kagome, Grandpa said that there was going to be a storm tonight, but the forecast says clear skies. Isn't that weird? Also, he's going to tell us a story." He paused significantly.

When Kagome didn't react, he shook his head and said,

"It's going to be about that old well and that tree with the hole in it. Don't you think we should take notes or something?"

Kagome finally shifted her position to face him.

"Souta, are you sure you want to go back down the well? I'm not sure about it anymore. It could be dangerous."

Souta stared at her.

"You've got to be kidding, we already went down. If there were some curse thingy, don't you think we have a right to know what's going to happen to us as a result of?" he was only half-joking.

"Do you have any idea how much homework I have to do! If I'm lucky, I'll finish it by Sunday and have some free time."

All he did was raise his eyebrows. That did it. Kagome slammed her pencil down and marched downstairs and plopped herself down in front of her grandpa. He looked at her, a little startled, but when Souta came humming down, he understood, although not the measures taken to persuade her.

"Let's start Grandpa!" Souta exclaimed, dropping down on a cushion and staring up with devoted eyes.

He leaned forward and began in a low voice.

"Tonight, I am going to tell you about the Sacred Shikon Jewel like my grandfather told me.

"The Sacred Jewel of the Four Souls was made in the Miko Midoriko's body. At the time, she was fighting against many other powerful demons. She destroyed them by purifying their souls. She was powerful, and all demons knew it. But this time, she knew that she could not win."

He paused significantly.

"In order to gain time, she forced her soul along with those of the demons into what became known as the Shikon Jewel. A legacy came, each time that a pure miko would unwittingly shatter it, and be forced to recover the pieces. When the shards were put back together, depending on the miko and her companions, a wish would be granted. If they had been good to people and acted nicely, the wish would be granted, exactly how to wished had wanted (unless it was a evil wish). If they had committed evil doings, the jewel would misinterpret their wish, and the demons within would gain in power.

"The thing about the wishes was that you never knew if they would be read correctly or not. There was a certain risk involved when you made the wish. It is so that only 4 out of the hundreds of mikos have made a wish."

"Grandpa, were they good or bad wishes?"

He sighed and leaned back. Evidently, no one knew if they had been good or evil.

"Well, anyways, the legend has it that our well can become a time portal to the feudal era. That's why we keep it stocked with some essentials of life. If danger ever struck, that would be where we would go."

Later that night

Kagome snuggled into her pillow. It was raining quite hard outside, despite the weather forecast. It was only 8, but she was tired. Tired enough to go to bed without finishing her homework as planned.

There was nothing to say or warn of the bloody killing that would take place the next night.

The next morning

Souta pounced onto Kagome's bed and shined a strong flashlight into her eyes as she blinked sleepiness away.

"Souta! Just why..." she murmured softly. "Where did you get that flashlight? I've never seen it before."

"From the room in the well, of course. Where else? Do you really think that mom wou-"

"The well!" she whispered, staring at him while choosing her clothes. She assumed that he had put some things there, and picked out a top and a short skirt.

"Yeah." He replied, then plowed on. "Mom says that you should dress nice because we're having guests. A lot of guests."

Kagome dropped her current mini and rummaged around for a longer skirt. Guests meant pasting a smile on her face and acting pretty.

"Answer me. Why did you go back into the well?" she asked firmly.

Souta sighed, obviously annoyed.

"I wanted to see what else was down there. I even added some of your junk to the pile for fun."

"What!" she didn't think that he would extend his packrat characteristics to her property as well.

Kagome had finally escaped from the tedious Hojo. He was the worst of the lot. He always insisted on following her, but luckily seemed to be too timid to make any passes yet. She didn't doubt that if he was with his friends, there would be some feeling going on. Souta had disappeared again, assumingly back to the well. His friends weren't able to come, so he had no one to play with. Today, Kagome would have gladly entertained him herself, but she was tied to playing hostess to her mother's guests. They were business colleagues and family friends, which only served to distance themselves from Kagome.

It would be improper to follow a girl to her room. Kagome couldn't believe that it had taken her so long to figure out a solution. She walked to the window for some fresh air, and shrieked in reflex at the gruesome face that grinned at her.

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	3. Chapter Three: Massacre

I realize that my chapters are growing shorter, and so I have adjusted my goals to 1200 words each. Therefore, there will be a lot more chapters than I planned. (Heh, there hasn't been much planning.

Read and Review please, and enjoy.

* * *

**A Different Reason**

**Chapter Three**

On a second glance, it really wasn't that bad. The entire face resembled a poorly made paper mache dog. The eyes were abnormally large and protruding from the head and the tongue was lagging out several feet. It was not normal looking â€" the tongue was an uneven spread of black with some boils ruining the otherwise smooth surface. The fur was matted and missing in places and the ears were of different lengths.

"Hiya darling." The monstrosity drooled onto the windowsill. Kagome kept as calm as she could under the circumstances, and punched it in one eye. It howled, and fell backwards. Kagome leaned out to see what had happened, and promptly shut the window a second later. The dog had been blocking the presence of many other apparitions, each uglier than the next. When it fell, it had gone straight through some of the others. Perhaps their substance wasn't really there.

Debating with herself whether to close the curtains or not, she finally just turned out of the room, and looked in the rooms for a handy weapon. Finding none, she turned to the stairs.

Thundering down the stairs, she burst into the party room.

"We have to get help or something! There's something outside, and it doesn't look friendly! Or, should I say, they don't look friendly!" Kagome shouted into the murmur of voices. She got everyone's attention. Several boys, Hojo included, peered out the window.

"I don't see anything." Kagome rushed to the window and jumped back immediately. Another face was pressed to the glass, smiling unpleasantly.

"What! Are you telling me that you see nothing?"

"Nope, nothing. Not even smoke or something. Kagome...is this some kind of joke?" Hojo answered patiently for them. They looked at her as if she had gone insane, or was playing a horrible trick.

Her mother looked out casually.

"Honey, the only thing I see is..." she shook her head, "well, they would be heat waves, but at the moment, there is a lack of heat." She looked out again. "Well, I guess that was my imagination. There's nothing now."

"Where's Souta?" Kagome asked. She had by now realized that she was the only one who could see the monsters clearly. They were pressing in, and she needed to know if they were real or not.

Mrs. Higurashi frowned, and thought. "I think that he's outside, in the well house again. He's been there a lot lately..." before she could interrogate Kagome, Souta ran in, panting and scared.

"Kagome, they're coming, they came from that pot, they're scary,-" Souta gasped. He was cut off by an incredible crash of glass and wood. They all saw his mouth moving, but the crash had deafened them. Suddenly, above the clamor a shriek pierced the atmosphere. It had come from their grandpa.

Kagome ran to her grandpa, only to find that he was bleeding at the throat already. As she looked around, horrified, the guests were butchered one by one by the unseen forces. As one headed for her and Souta, she grabbed a plate of candies and hurled it at its head. It went straight through, and the demon grinned evilly as it advanced.

It soon became obvious that Kagome and Souta were the objects of the attack. Whenever they passed by another unfortunate victim, the demon mutilating the person would turn and begin following them. In this way, they accumulated quite a mob following close behind them.

Their legs failing, outside seemed to be a better place than inside.

Kagome and Souta ran to the well house and jumped down the well, pursued by many demons. They headed for the small 'cave', the only sanctuary they could comprehend at the moment. A dark blue light flashed several times, and their pursuers were disintegrated. Somehow, whenever they tried leaping down after them, they were destroyed. Soon, they grew a bit smarter and stopped trying. However, just because their main prey was inaccessible, didn't mean that they couldn't have fun.

A brutal massacre followed.

* * *

They huddled there together, for an endless span of time. Now and then, screams could be heard. Each time, they silently comforted each other. 

After a time, Kagome grew bold enough to search for a light. When she couldn't find it, in a surge of courage, she climbed back out of the well. It was dawn, and the ground was as red as the sky. Human body parts were scattered around. She identified her mother's body, and began weeping again. Strangely, the monsters seemed to have left a while ago. There were no signs of living creatures, not a cricket chirped in the deathly silence.

When a soft clank sounded before her, she whipped around, eyes already searching for a weapon. She relaxed when she saw what it was.

Souta had climbed up after her, and she hurried to cover his eyes. However, he pushed her hand away, and stared with dry eyes. Kagome worried about this lack of tears, but decided that now was not the time to wonder why.

Kagome picked up a fragment of a once antique chair, and broke it in half. It was still as long as her arm; and she gave the other half to Souta.

"Kagome? Shouldn't we be scavenging or something?" asked Souta suddenly, picking up a candle and a packet of matches. Kagome looked back, and nodded. She headed upstairs to her room.

'The well is the one place they weren't able to get us...in that case, we better stow our things there.' Kagome thought as she began packing general clothing from her and Souta's rooms into a few bags. As she staggered down the stairs, she was shocked once again when Souta popped in front of her with a toolbox filled with potential weapons.

"Ummm...Souta? Since when do we keep an archery set in the house?" she asked uncertainly. He looked down at the bow and arrows, and shrugged.

"I found this under the power bench." He said emotionlessly. Kagome looked­­ into Souta's unblinking eyes. She looked away first. Who was this stranger?

They decided to stay in the well house, since it was obvious that they couldn't be in the open. Kagome had decided to walk along the street, and she had peered into some of the houses. Each had contained an array of butchered people. It was enough for more than a lifetime's worth of nightmares.

As night approached, the darkness spread all around. The streetlights weren't on, and neither were the traffic lights. It was as if the world had died-which was a pretty likely possibility. Or, if not, it had faded into a ghost version of itself. It was vaguely comforting that the city had not been shrouded in a dense fog, as so often happened in times of mass death.

They had tried to turn on several of the electric appliances. None worked. They had tried to use many things, but quite obviously, none worked.

"Let's call it a night, Souta." Kagome said tiredly.

They crawled back down the well, and into their sleeping bags. Surprisingly, they slept soundly...at least until the next day. From then on, a good night's rest would last for 4 hours at the most.

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School's starting, and the computer is drifting away...not many frequent updates, for those of you who follow. Perhaps once a month for each of my better stories (which are like non-existant). 

Another editing comment-these paragraph things I used to use DON'T WORK ANYMORE!

Review


	4. Chapter Four: First Exploration

Maintaining short chapters on this one, still around 1200 I guess. I don't want to waste too much energy on something people don't read. If you've been reading my notes on Sight, then you just might know that I love reviews. I'm getting heartbroken by the lack. Seeing as there are more reviews for this story (though none for chapter three...hm...is this a forewarning?) I've decided to experiment.

That said and done, rereading this work makes me happy. I've evolved! But I do feel that the transition and grief of Kagome and Souta is a bit abrupt. There, I've admitted it. Any suggestions, _dear _readers?

Just note, I haven't really edited this before I posted it so that...Heh, there may be errors. Hey, if you want perfection read Sight! ...okay, that was my attempt at advertising.

I'll try to keep the formatting the same, but that can get difficult. When I do rewrite this, I'm not going to condense it like I did with Dark Lineage, I'll just add details.

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**A Different Way**

**Chapter Four: Survival of the Smartest**

They didn't wake until noon, and that was only because the sun was shining straight down the well. It hit Kagome's eyes, making her turn to the side before opening them. She was faced with the familiar stones and packed dirt. She shook Souta awake, and was halfway up the well when realization dawned on her.

The well had stayed uncovered for hundreds of years, until her ancestors had decided to preserve the purity by building a roof over it. It had evolved into the well house, and the structure had stood strong for many decades. It must have fallen for the sun to be able to pierce straight into the well. Considering the events of the night before, it was very likely that some monstrosity had taken it upon itself to destroy one of the only sanctuaries left.

Cautiously swinging herself over the edge she waited for Souta. He stood up groggily and also stepped up the ladder sleepily. He retained a bit of the childlike innocence a boy of his age should have. It wasn't going to last, only until he regained his memory of the bloody night before.

He came awake immediately when he fell over the side.

"Wow sis, the sky's really blue!" Kagome mock fell over, and sat next to the lying form of Souta.

"You do have a point there. I would take more about the green grass and tall trees though." She teased gently, poking him. He pretended to punch her in reply. They tried to forget, but it was futile. After a few awkward moments, he pulled himself up.

"Why are we here?" he asked, more serious.

"I dunno." Kagome shrugged, standing up also. "I guess we better just pretend we're camping." She sighed, tearing. Both Higurashis unknowingly began to form a mental block of the murders of their friends and family.

Unwilling to dwell on past events, they separated with a promise to return in an hour. Each covered a section of the thick forest that surrounded the well. The trees weren't close together, but their thick roots barred passage into some of the lighter areas of wood. Kagome found evidence of humans, a rotting arrow, some sharpened stones. She hadn't been observant in her old life, but survival made her now. She picked her way along the lighter areas that formed the maze of plants.

Observing a fruit tree, she tried to memorize the path as she returned to their 'campsite' This time, although some effort was still required, the way was easy and fast.

Souta had chosen a more worn area of the forest. Barely present and visible paths snaked in loops, taking you on longer detours than often necessary. Even so, Souta made it to the outskirts of the forest. It would have been more help if it had opened onto a village or similar sign of civilization, but it ended over a gorge hundreds of feet deep. A swiftly moving river flowed along the bottom, the waves crashing at every rock and bend. The other side was clear, but it seemed to be the same as the side Souta stood on.

He walked back, taking a straight path across the mass of trees. It took considerably less time than before. Souta, unlike Kagome, had always paid close attention to details, so he bent and examined the broken plant he had just tripped over. It was a little too convenient, the placement of the vine. Upon his observation he noted that some leaves and flowers had been neatly sliced off. Tucking the matter to the back of his mind, he set off in a run, watching where he stepped this time.

It didn't help, as less than 10 yards from the clearing; he tripped again, this time over a root.

'_Geez, these trees must be out to get me. It's abnormal for me to trip so much.'_

Souta wasn't conceited; it was a fact that he was sure-footed.

Kagome was sitting, leaning on the side of the well. She looked in his direction as he stepped on a brittle branch.

"Kagome, these roots keep tripping me."ﾝ He complained, taking off his shoes and peering at his toes. Kagome refrained from giggling at his comical position, and replied,

"Really? In that case they must not like you. I had no trouble getting anywhere."

This was truer than she knew. Because the miko blood was stronger in her, nature accepted her although she was foreign. Souta had experienced less discomfort than most strangers would have, as he also had miko blood. Both descended from Midoriko, it was likely that the forest recognized it. Or, perhaps, they sensed their relationship to their miko.

As night fell, Kagome took inventory of what they did have. Making a list out of her notebook paper, this is what she got.

4 water bottles

2 sleeping bags

5 flashlights 20 extra batteries

1 toolbox w/ various wrenches, hammers, etc.

Dry packaged food

3 bags of clothes

1 yellow backpack (notebook writing utensils)

The smaller items weren't recorded. Considering the list, she asked absentmindedly,

"What do ya think Souta, how can we use this?" Souta didn't respond, but climbed back into his sleeping bag.

Kagome sighed, and followed suit. Before the light completely vanished, she entered her first journal entry.

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May 21st

I don't know what to put down for year. If it was at home, I would, but I think that we're in the same place, but in a different time. I refuse to let fate drag me down so easily, and explored a bit today of the forest that surrounds this clearing. Souta and I are still staying in the well, it was lucky that we decided to fortify it. Maybe we're smart that way, or maybe this was meant to happen. I hope we find some people soon, friendly ones of course. I wonder if maybe we are on a different world altogether? Souta seems to have recovered from what happened last night. I can only hope that we can forget the past and move on.

Strange, but this environment seems to perk my senses. Spiderman's spidey sense must feel like this, always tingling in the back of your head.

I feel so uncertain of myself now, but there is one thing I can control. I'm gonna make Souta keep a journal too, I _do _have like 5 notebooks. I don't know why I brought my huge backpack with me, or why it's filled with my school supplies, but I guess it'll come in handy.

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It's kinda hard for me to keep it to 1200, but I guess one section is good enough for one chapter. Once again, if you have a better idea of how I can make this flow better, speak up.

Review. It'll make me feel better about my 78 on the math test, which never happens. I usually get 100's.


	5. Chapter Five: I Have Seen the Future

Author's Note:

Well, after a year of hiatus, I'm feeling like picking this story up again. Not really unusual, but it should be easy to accomplish. (my goal being only around 1,500 words per chapter – maybe less.)

I've changed the summary a little….it gets sent out with every alert, after all. It must look nice, and sound nice.

Taking account of the lack of popularity of…..**all** of my stories, I've decided that **this story** will be the one that is completed first. (If you've read my profile, you'll have noticed that I plan for this particular one to last for ten chapters. With the upload of this one, we're halfway there. But, then again, that goal might have to change – if my chapters stay as short as they are right now.)

And, don't you hate it when a story starts in one style – but ends in another? That's another reason why I want to finish this quickly. For you, my dear readers. (I have read them over – a little while ago, so you may not notice the difference. Please re-read the other chapters if you need to.)

Note that the formatting has changed a little. Also note that the story of the Shikon no Tama is a little different in this chapter. Don't worry, that'll all come clear later on.

Kikyo may be a little stupid in this chapter…but it IS my story.

Enjoy.

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**A Different Reason**

**Chapter Five: I've Seen the Future**

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She protected her heart because her heart was the key to survival. Not the survival of herself – the survival of her entire race.

No, she wasn't conceited. She wasn't being stupid. She wasn't lying, either.

It was the truth.

In her heart – in fact, in place of her heart – was a sacred jewel, named the Shikon no Tama. It was what protected humanity from the wrath of the youkai, and it would continue to protect them for far longer. Optimistically, it would.

Passed from miko to miko, it had been safe in their pure hearts. The greatest care was taken to ensure that it was – and so secrecy surrounded the priestesses and caretakers of the jewel. Nothing had ever beaten them before, and nothing had ever given them a fight (though not for lack of trying).

Thus, no one ever worried about it, because they trusted in the protectors, unknown though they were.

Maybe they should have started wondering, and started guarding her better.

The only reason why the mikos had never lost was because the youkai attacking them weren't powerful. They were the weaklings, those who lusted after power. The impatient ones, the ones who couldn't plot or plan for their lives (which is what it cost them, in the end).

The current protector was one of the most powerful mikos anyone had ever heard of, or come up against.

Her name – was Kikyo.

And she had been corrupted.

* * *

Kagome woke up the next day to find that Souta wasn't in his sleeping bag, and that his spot was cold. This meant that he had left earlier – much earlier.

She didn't remember him being a morning person, but maybe that had changed too, with the rest of him. She climbed out, to find him gathering up the remains of what she had left out the previous night.

Relieved to find that he hadn't strayed far, she settled herself at the well's opening. Yawning, Kagome inquired,

"What are you doing Souta? It's so dark out – I wish I had a watch that worked. Bet it's not past 7:30, though."

"Kagome, I really hate to say it, but I think you're kinda stupid. If there are some people around, they don't have to want us to stay. I mean, they could get violent or something." He said, tossing a few more sticks into the bag he was holding.

"Oh….right." She replied lamely. She had thought ahead, but not that far ahead. She was also a little hurt by his honesty.

"Sis, I'm almost done here. If you wanna, we can eat something now." He said with a grin that helped heal some of it.

Kagome nodded, and went back down the well. It wasn't until she was gathering some chips that she realized that Souta had, in a way, taken charge.

* * *

A hanyou had gotten to the beloved priestess. They had fallen in love, much to the disapproval of everyone. But then again, 'everyone' couldn't see how much purer the jewel was, infused with the power of love. 'Everyone' couldn't see how their prejudice kept something wonderful from happening.

There came a day when the half-breed was called away, to battle his full-blooded brother for ownership of the Western Lands. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, as Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, had not had to challenge him. He could have retained ownership of his inheritance without ever thinking of Inuyasha.

However, in a moment of pride, he decided to put down his half-breed brother once and for all. It was an invitation that might never come again.

Inuyasha couldn't afford to lose, and he couldn't afford to refuse.

In a touching scene, the miko and the hanyou parted, with a few tears from her, and a strong embrace from him.

* * *

"So, Souta…what do you think we should do?" Kagome asked gingerly, still coming to terms with the fact that Souta knew what he was doing – and she didn't.

"Well, yesterday I thought I saw some signs of civilization. You know, when we were both doing that exploring in that mean forest."

"So? You wanna just walk up and go, hey, can you tell us about what's going on?" She demanded, brushing crumbs off her skirt. This brought Souta's attention to it.

"…why are you wearing your school uniform?"

"Uh, well," she blushed a little, "I kinda grabbed formal clothing when we were…packing, and this is one of the only things I could stand getting dirty."

Souta gave her another strange look, before returning to his munching.

* * *

It had been two days, ample time for Inuyasha to send a message back in. Kikyo waited anxiously, always looking to the northwest every day.

Finally, a man swathed in bandages appeared. She didn't know if he would be a messenger, but was driven to help him anyway. She hadn't spent the first years of her life learning about herbs and medicines for nothing.

She learned that the man's name was Onigumo; and while he had passed Inuyasha on the road, he'd had no message for her. He had come because he'd learned of her skill with plants, and was wondering if she could help with the burns over much of his body.

Of course, she helped him.

After another day went by, Kikyo grew distraught. She missed Inuyasha.

That day, she happened to mention it in front of Onigumo. They had held many conversations, and enjoyed each other's presence.

"Well then, miss, why don't you look into the future?"

She stared, pausing in her work. It was such an improbable suggestion.

"How's that supposed to help me? Looking into the future is dangerous, and if I were to disappear – you would have no one to look after you."

"Don't worry about me, pretty one. You may find it reassuring to see you two together in the future – providing that you do end up together, of course."

Kikyo was offended by his implication, and left. The bandaged man smirked, and shifted in position. He didn't mind waiting.

She was back soon enough.

"How do I do this 'looking into the future'?" He told her, and she wrote it all down hastily. With a fast 'good-bye', she went back into her hut.

"Kikyo, what are you doing with that bowl? I need it if we want to have soup tonight." A younger girl came up to her a few minutes into her preparations.

"Kaede, I'm busy. Can't you make soup in another bowl – or just make something else?" Kikyo responded absently, pouring some water into the bowl.

Kaede started to reply, but then realized what the notes said. She rubbed her left eye, and checked again. Certain it said what she thought it did, she protested,

"Kikyo! But we're not supposed to do that kind of magic yet!"

"Correction – _you're_ not supposed to this kind of magic yet. I am more powerful than you, and with the Shikon no Tama protecting me, I don't think there's too much danger. Please leave me alone, now." Kikyo said firmly. Kaede gave her a glare, but went outside. There was no arguing with her older sister when she got this way.

* * *

"C'mon, let's go Kagome. We're losing time and whatever else."

"Coming. Hey, walk faster, will you! And stop stopping!" She asked as she ran into him for the fifth time.

"Sorry, but there's all this junk in front of me." Kagome looked around her younger brother and saw the truth. The trees had raised their roots, as they had before. She looked behind them to find the path as smooth as she had ever found it.

"Maybe I should go first." She said, playing a hunch.

"But you don't know where to go!" Souta protested as she gently pushed him aside.

"That's why I'll be carrying you. Then you can tell me which way to go."

From then on, Souta rode piggy-back. Kagome still had trouble sometimes, but not nearly as much as they had with Souta in the front.

Kagome was getting tired, and Souta's neck had started hurting when they came out into a clearing with a few stumps in it and felled trees. She sat him down on the ground, and collapsed next to him, resting her cheek on one worn trunk.

"I think I need to – start – working – out if I'm gonna – keep carrying –you." She said while gasping for more air.

"Weakling." Souta joked, rolling his head around.

Their break was interrupted when both heard a foot fall, and the sound of a bow being drawn. Kagome sat up quickly, and Souta moved into a crouch.

In front of them was a priestess, a miko from how she was dressed. In her elegant hands, she carried a beautiful bow – which was pointed at Kagome. Even though she was dressed in white and red, and Kagome in green and white, Souta made a connection.

"Sis…she looks just like you." Souta gasped. Kagome nodded slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements that could prompt her death.

"Who are you?" The priestess asked in a cold voice.

"Um…I'm Kagome, and this is my brother Souta. We-"

"That is enough. You will have to come with me…unfortunately." The miko lowered her bow, and turned around. She muttered something that sounded like, 'Damn, they really are the ones I'm looking for.'

"Um…before we do that, could we know your name?" Souta asked hesitantly, getting to his feet.

"My name is Kikyo, guardian of the Shikon no Tama." At the mention of the sacred jewel, the siblings exchanged wary glances.

"Why do you want us to go with you? How do we know you don't mean us harm?" Kagome demanded boldly, reaching for her own bow and arrows, which lay behind her. They hadn't broken when she set Souta down, which was a miracle – in her point of view.

Kikyo turned around again, looking tired.

"Put your weapons down. I mean you no harm." She sighed, and swept her hair back.

"I can't. I have seen the future, and I need you."

* * *

Author's Note:

All done! Finished it in 2 days – not working continuously, of course.

Went on a reviewing streak today…you're very welcome.

Don't forget about my penname change. You may ask any questions in reviews or emails, I don't really care which. School starts tomorrow, so I doubt I'll be updating more than twice a month.

Send me some review alerts! (By the way, with this last sentence, it's exactly 2003 words. Cool, no?)


	6. Vengeance Against What May Not Be

Author's Note:

Updating again for no reason. You see…if the 'community' gave back to me as much as I gave to 'them', I'd have more than 1200 reviews.

But life isn't fair.

And nothing balances out.

Note; I've reread my story, and found that the chapter where I describe the Shikon no Tama before was written very childishly….I apologize and hope it doesn't turn anyone away.

Don't be confused until you read the whole thing.

And please, ignore the little French phrase in the middle.

* * *

**A Different Reason**

**Chapter Six: Vengeance Against What May Not Be**

* * *

The miko named 'Kikyo' swayed ahead of them, graceful even in her rush. It was indeed evident that this was no leisurely walk, but a search with a purpose.

'Seek and destroy…' Souta thought in a flash of amusement, caught by how interesting the situation was. He and his sister had arrived in a new, more primitive world after a bloodbath in their own world. They had tried to settle in for what they thought would be a glum future, but had been found by a look-alike of Kagome. Were things going to look up or start going downhill?

They soon arrived at a village. Souta's previous guess was correct; there was human habilitation nearby. It was fairly small, with no more than fifteen little huts. Small children ran around, as they must do, while older ones stayed inside and helped with the work. Some of the oldest playing between the houses were just a little younger than Souta. He blushed from all the attention he was getting. One girl with hair tied messily with a ribbon ran up to him, and started poking his stomach.

"Whoa, what the f-" he changed the word when he noticed Kagome looking at him – "fructose syrup do you want?" He finished lamely, taking her hand and 'setting' it aside.

"Why you think? Rin wanna see if you have harder stomach than Rin's brother." She said, grinning happily. "Shippo proud of stomach."

"Uh…" Souta decided just to wave and move on. Despite the situation, Kagome still found time to torment him.

"First girlfriend? I'm soooo jealous."

"Heh…shut up. Even if she was, I'd have beaten you by like, 5 years?"

"…"

"I win." Totally.

* * *

Kikyo heard the siblings chatting behind her, but made the conscious choice not to turn around. She missed when she and Kaede could have bantered like that. It had all changed, as was inevitable. Having no parents stole away a childhood like a knife could steal a life.

She finally reached the house she shared with Kaede, and was surprised to find Onigumo waiting there.

"This is not a good time."

"Au contraire, it is the perfect time. I see you've brought them?" He replied, gesturing stiffly to the Higurashis. "They look just like I thought they would look."

"What are you talking about? You shouldn't know them, and you shouldn't be walking around yet." Kikyo answered, looking a little bewildered. She had tried covering up her unease with a healer's advice.

"But I do. I'll be seeing you later." Onigumo said calmly, and began hobbling back to his cave.

Kikyo shook his head in puzzlement, and gestured them into her residence. Kaede was not inside when they entered, which relieved Kikyo. She wasn't sure that she wanted to face her yet.

"So, why do you need us?" Kagome asked cautiously, taking a seat near the door. Souta sat a few feet away from her, near the unlit fire pit.

"I hope you are comfortable, as I don't intent letting you 'go' until I finish explaining." Kikyo said, a hint of kindness tempering the coldness of the words.

""I guess so."

"I will assume that you are not familiar with the story of the sacred jewel, the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome interrupted, "Actually, our grandfather once told us a story about it." Kikyo raised an eyebrow, a little skeptical.

"That is strange. I had not known of any who knew the story of Midoriko outside of my own family."

Kagome shut her mouth immediately, knowing she had slipped up. Fortunately, Kikyo didn't seem interested in pursuing the subject, merely in completing her story.

"In any case, I shall continue.

"One of my ancestors was Midoriko. She was powerful, without equal. Demons plagued the land, and she purified and destroyed them. None could defeat her alone. One day, Midoriko's luck ran out. The more intelligent demons had gathered and combined their strength.

"However, she knew that it would happen. She waited carefully, just for the right moment. Then, using all of her miko powers, she used her soul to create a vessel for the demonic souls."

Kikyo paused significantly, but neither Kagome nor Souta picked up on the subtle hint. The priestess sighed, and continued.

"And so the sacred jewel was formed. It was handled with care, although it was not fragile. Paranoia drove the protectors to extreme measures. However, it was all wasted – the jewel could only be broken by one with a pure heart. Even back then, these maidens were not very common. However, it had to happen. Every fifty years, one would shatter the vessel. The demons would escape, and bid their time with new hosts. The breaker of the jewel would have to recover the pieces of Midoriko's soul, and with them, the demons that had broken free." An inaudible gasp came from one of those listening, but Kikyo did not bother finding out whom.

"Were they always the same demons? Could new ones also…I dunno, find her soul too?" asked Kagome, a little confused. Kikyo's story was a little different from the one that her grandfather had told them.

"That's a good question." Kikyo responded patronizingly. Kagome showed no outward signs of annoyance, but she was building up anger inside. Kikyo couldn't be much older than she was, and yet, was talking down as if to a five year old child.

"Many other demons were lured by the power of her soul, and would also be drawn in upon the completion of the Shikon no Tama. Their souls, however, were not immortalized with the rest. They would be…digested, if you will. The energy this released could be harnessed. The ignorant call it 'a wish'."

And now the pieces fell together for the Higurashis. Her story matched enough with the one they had been told earlier, and they could now accept it.

However, outside the hut, another set of ears was listening. The owner of these ears had just been confused beyond reason.

'_How can the pure mikos shatter the jewel every fifty years…if the jewel is their heart?'_ Kaede thought, feeling a headache coming on.

* * *

Inuyasha was sweating heavily, and bleeding from about five minor wounds. His older brother was floating just out of his reach, looking as composed and clean as he had a few hours ago, when they had started battling. This infuriated the hanyou, and he leapt again, futilely swiping the area Sesshomaru had been in with his claws.

He was desperately tired of this fight, and regretted ever accepting the challenge. He would never admit it, of course, but he wished with all his heart that he was back with Kikyo, and not struggling against Sesshomaru.

He had been stupid…and had agreed to his terms. This fight would not officially end until one of them died. Sesshomaru was playing with him, and running away was not an option.

"Kikyo…I'm trying for you." He said out loud, ignoring the mocking grin he received from his opponent. Just verbalizing his intentions seemed to help bring strength back to him. Despite it all…he could still feel himself weakening.

He forced his fatigued limbs to move, expecting to encounter thin air – as he had all the times before.

* * *

Kaede knew that Kikyo was lying to the strangers. She didn't know why. Everyone in the village, and probably everyone in the whole entire world probably knew the story, except for whoever Kikyo was talking to.

It was almost an unwritten crime to lie about Midoriko's story. Elaborating was tolerated in only small amounts. If the story wound up completely different from the original, people would scorn the teller.

Kikyo was committing suicide, in a sense. She, as the protector of the Shikon no Tama, should have known better. Kaede was torn between reporting her sister and just confronting her.

She knew though, that in the end, she would do neither. She would listen and keep learning more about this new side of Kikyo.

* * *

"Where do we come in? I'm sorry, but we do need to be somewhere." Kagome lied badly, not caring. She didn't feel like talking to the priestess that resembled her so closely. Neither did Souta, if the looks they exchanged were any measure of their desire to remain.

"Please don't go. I do need you."

"How? I'm sorry, but you haven't explained things very well. We need to prepare for the night, and even if we leave now – it could be dark by the time we get back." Kagome said in a stiff voice, tired of the dancing around.

"Look, I'm not supposed to…but I took a glance into the future." Kikyo took a deep breath. "A hanyou I thought loved me – he's going to betray us."

"And this concerns us how?" Kagome asked, only mildly interested.

"You're the reason why he does. I saw that he began visiting your campsite, and the look of love I enjoyed slowly became the look in his eyes whenever he was with you. It isn't just the emotion of a woman scorned – later on, I saw him take a knife to the boy. He lied to you, and you followed him with the miko power I know you have. You teamed up, and destroyed the Shikon no Tama – you because you thought the soul of your brother was there – him because he thought he could get a wish out of its destruction."

"I don't believe you. Souta, come with me."

"You are abandoning your duty, to prevent what may be." Her desperate voice tried to tell them.

Souta had already gone outside. Kagome turned around, shifting what she was holding a little.

"No. You are trying to get vengeance for what may not be." She replied calmly, and a little sadly. It was hard to believe that this beautiful, supposedly pure priestess could harbor such misguided thoughts.

Kikyo looked after them, speechless. She didn't move for a few minutes, not even when Kaede came in and lit the fire. Her sister glanced at her briefly, then went back out to visit with friends.

* * *

"What do you think of her?" Souta asked cautiously. They had made their way back without any major accidents occurring. Kagome had brought a flashlight with them by accident – which proved to be useful. True to her prediction, it had grown dark before they had returned.

"She doesn't understand. Looking into the future is dangerous – it's written that way in all the fictitious and stupid books in the future, so it must have some truth in it. She needs to realize that, and I _know_ Kikyo's been warned. Interpreting visions and whatever isn't so easy."

"So you don't think that hanyou lover of hers is going to show up?"

"He'll show up, I guess. I don't really care about what happens since she's probably wrong, except that we need to find a way to keep her from us. I don't like her." Kagome said childishly, dropping hurriedly into the well.

"Suspicious….or just jealous?" Souta said comically, following her.

* * *

Author's Note:

I only read through this once, so there may be mistakes.

I want to write a story in the present tense…the past is what most people do, so it's a little overused (ha, just a little). I'll have to do a whole new story in order for that to happen, though. Changing writing styles in the middle of a story just isn't going to work.

Review please.


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